Hinge with snappably insertable pin for use with a lid and container

Abstract

A container, comprising a hinge component that can secure a lid component of the container with a container component of the container, is presented. The hinge component can comprise a pin component and base component. The pin component can be associated with the lid component and the base component can be associated with a wall of the container component, or vice versa. The pin component can comprise one or more protruding portions extending from one or more smaller portions that can be associated with respective ends of the protruding portions along the pin component. The pin component can be removably attached to the base component by inserting one or more protruding portions of the pin component into one or more respective base slot components of the base component, the base slot component(s) retaining the protruding portion(s) therein to attach the lid component to the container component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A container, comprising:
 a container component comprising a closed end and side walls associated with and extending away from the closed end, wherein the container component comprises an open end located at first ends of the side walls that are opposite from second ends of the side walls that are associated with the closed end; 
 a lid component configured to at least substantially cover the open end of the container component when the lid component is in a closed position with respect to the container component; and 
 a hinge component comprising a pin component that is associated with one of an edge of the lid component or a side wall of the container component, and comprising a base component that is associated another one of the edge of the lid component or the side wall of the container component, 
 wherein the pin component comprises one or more first pin portions that have a first shape and a first size, and one or more second pin portions that have a second shape and a second size that is larger than the first size, 
 wherein the base component comprises one or more base slot components configured to have respective slot open ends into which the one or more second pin portions are insertable to facilitate attachment of the pin component to the base component and formation of the hinge component, and facilitate retention of the one or more second pin portions within the one or more base slot components, 
 wherein the one or more base slot components comprise a base slot component, wherein the one or more first pin portions comprise a first pin portion, wherein the one or more second pin portions comprise a second pin portion, wherein the respective slot open ends comprise a slot open end, and 
 wherein the base slot component is configured to comprise an open region that is at least partially defined by adjacent side members of the base slot component that are separated from each other by a defined length that is based at least in part on the second size of a second pin portion, wherein the adjacent side members are connected to each other by a connecting member that spans between the adjacent side members to at least partially define the open region and at least partially define the slot open end, wherein the slot open end has a third size that is smaller than the second size of the second pin portion and larger than the first size of the first pin portion, and wherein the second pin portion is insertable into the open region via insertion of the second pin portion into the slot open end based at least in part on a flexibility of the base slot component. 
 
     
     
       2. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the pin component is associated with the lid component, and wherein the base component is associated with the container component. 
     
     
       3. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first shape is substantially cylindrical and the second shape is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       4. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the open region is configured to accommodate the second pin portion, based at least in part on the second size of the second pin portion, when the second pin portion is inserted into the base slot component. 
     
     
       5. The container of  claim 4 , wherein the second pin portion is insertable into the slot open end to facilitate snappably attaching the pin component to the base component to form the hinge component, and wherein a first end portion of the first pin portion is adjoined to a second end portion of the second pin portion. 
     
     
       6. The container of  claim 1 , wherein another end of the base slot component is located opposite to the slot open end with respect to the base slot component, wherein at least a portion of the other end of the base slot component is substantially semi-circular in shape to facilitate accommodation of the first shape of the first pin portion when the second pin portion is located within the open region of the base slot component, and wherein the first shape is substantially cylindrical to correspond to the shape of the other end of the base slot component. 
     
     
       7. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the flexibility of the base slot component is a sufficient flexibility to enable the slot open end to move to enable the second pin portion to be inserted into the slot open end and the open region of the base slot component, and wherein the base slot component has sufficient rigidity to retain the second pin portion within the base slot component and the open region when the second pin portion has been inserted into the base slot component and the open region. 
     
     
       8. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the slot open end of the base slot component is flared to facilitate enabling the second pin portion to be inserted into the base slot component. 
     
     
       9. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid component is movable about the hinge component between the closed position and an open position with respect to the container component. 
     
     
       10. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls of the container component comprise at least a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein at least a portion of the first side wall is substantially semi-circular in shape, wherein at least a portion of the second side wall is substantially flat, and wherein the base component is associated with the second side wall. 
     
     
       11. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls of the container component comprise at least four side walls, wherein respective portions of the at least four side walls are substantially flat. 
     
     
       12. The container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the container component, the lid component, or the hinge component are formed of at least one of a polymer-based material, a metal material, a fiberglass material, or a wood material. 
     
     
       13. A device, comprising:
 a first device component having defined first dimensions that are based at least in part on a use associated with the device; 
 a second device component having defined second dimensions that at least substantially correspond to a portion of the defined first dimensions, based at least in part on the use associated with the device; and 
 a hinge component comprising a pin component that is associated with one of a first edge of the first device component or a second edge of the second device component, and comprising a base component that is associated another one of the first edge of the first device component or the second edge of the second device component, 
 wherein the pin component comprises one or more first pin portions that have a first shape and a first size, and one or more second pin portions that have a second shape and a second size that is larger than the first size, 
 wherein the base component comprises one or more base slot components configured to have respective slot open ends into which the one or more second pin portions are able to be inserted to facilitate attachment of the pin component to the base component and formation of the hinge component, and facilitate retention of the one or more second pin portions within the one or more base slot components, 
 wherein the second device component is movable about the hinge component between a first position and a second position with respect to the first device component, 
 wherein the one or more base slot components comprise a base slot component, wherein the one or more first pin portions comprise a first pin portion, wherein the one or more second pin portions comprise a second pin portion, and wherein the respective slot open ends comprise a slot open end, and 
 wherein the base slot component is configured to comprise an open region that is at least partially defined by respective side members of the base slot component that are separated from each other by a defined length that is based at least in part on the second size of a second pin portion, wherein the respective side members are connected to each other by a joining member that spans between the respective side members to at least partially define the open region and at least partially define the slot open end, wherein the slot open end has a third size that is smaller than the second size of the second pin portion and larger than the first size of the first pin portion, and wherein the second pin portion is insertable into the open region via the slot open end based at least in part on a flexibility of the base slot component. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first shape is substantially cylindrical and the second shape is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 13 , wherein open region is configured to accommodate the second pin portion at least partially within the open region, based at least in part on the second size of the second pin portion, when the second pin portion is inserted into the base slot component. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the second pin portion is insertable into the slot open end to facilitate snappably attaching the pin component to the base component to form the hinge component,
 wherein a first end portion of the first pin portion is associated with a second end portion of the second pin portion, and 
 wherein another end of the base slot component is located opposite to the slot open end with respect to the base slot component, wherein at least a portion of the other end of the base slot component is substantially semi-circular in shape to facilitate accommodation of the first shape of the first pin portion when the second pin portion is located within the open region of the base slot component, and wherein the first shape is substantially cylindrical to correspond to the shape of the other end of the base slot component. 
 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the flexibility of the base slot component is a sufficient flexibility to enable the base slot component to move to enable the second pin portion to be inserted into the slot open end and the open region of the base slot component, and wherein the base slot component has sufficient rigidity to retain the second pin portion within the base slot component and the open region when the second pin portion has been inserted into the base slot component and the open region. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first device component, the second device component, or the hinge component are formed of at least one of a polymer-based material, a metal material, a fiberglass material, or a wood material. 
     
     
       19. A method, comprising:
 forming a container comprising a closed end and side walls having ends associated with the closed end, wherein the side walls extend outward from the closed end, wherein other ends of the side walls of the container are structured in relation to each other to form an open end of the container and are located opposite to the ends of the side walls that are associated with the closed end; 
 forming a lid that is sized and shaped to at least substantially cover the open end of the container when the lid is in a closed position with respect to the container; and 
 forming a hinge comprising a pin that is associated with an edge of the lid, and comprising a base that is associated with a side wall of the side walls of the container, 
 wherein the pin comprises one or more first pin portions that have a first substantially cylindrical shape and a first size, and one or more second pin portions that have a second substantially cylindrical shape and a second size that is larger than the first size, 
 wherein the base comprises one or more base slots configured to have respective slot open ends into which the one or more second pin portions are insertable to facilitate attachment of the pin to the base and forming the hinge, and facilitate retaining the one or more second pin portions within the one or more base slots when the one or more second pin portions have been inserted in the one or more base slots, 
 wherein the one or more base slots comprise a base slot, wherein the one or more first pin portions comprise a first pin portion, wherein the one or more second pin portions comprise a second pin portion, and wherein the respective slot open ends comprise a slot open end, and 
 wherein the base slot comprises an open region that is at least partially defined by a first side member and a second side member of the base slot that are a defined distance from each other, wherein the defined distance is based at least in part on the second size of a second pin portion, wherein the first side member and the second side member are connected to each other by a connecting member that spans between the first side member and the second side member to at least partially define the open region and at least partially define the slot open end, wherein the slot open end has a third size that is smaller than the second size of the second pin portion and larger than the first size of the first pin portion, and wherein the second pin portion is insertable into the open region via the slot open end due in part to a flexibility of the base slot. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 forming the base slot to comprise the open region, the slot open end, and another end of the base slot, wherein the open region is configured to accommodate the second pin portion, based at least in part on the second size of the second pin portion, when the second pin portion is inserted into the base slot, 
 wherein the slot open end is structured to have an opening into which the second pin portion is insertable to facilitate attaching the pin to the base to form the hinge, and wherein a first end portion of the first pin portion is adjoined to a second end portion of the second pin portion, and 
 wherein the other end of the base slot is located opposite to the slot open end with respect to the base slot, and wherein at least a portion of the other end of the base slot is substantially semi-circular in shape to correspond to and facilitate accommodation of the first shape of the first pin portion when the second pin portion is located within the open region of the base slot.